Simulation evaluation method

ABSTRACT

This disclosure relates to a method of simulating the operation of a commercial can shaker by employing a test shaker and evaluating the results in a repetitious manner until a desired product is observed thereby automatically making a selection of the proper commercial shaker to obtain the desired product commercially, continually and repetitiously. The method includes the steps of selecting from known performance characteristics of existing commercial shakers a predetermined shake time and rate for a particular container size, setting the test shaker to function at the preselected rate, shaking a filled container of the particular size in the test shaker for the predetermined time, observing the results of the shaking on the product, and as necessary repeating these steps using different time and shake rates until the desired result or product effect is observed.

United States Patent Cover et al.

[451 Dec. 4, 1973 SIMULATION EVALUATION METHOD [75] Inventors: Paul F. Cover; Clyde F. Kemper,

both of Westminster, Md.

[73] Assignee: The United Company, Westminster,

[22] Filed: Jan. 25, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 109,262

' Al I 1,, will):

50 88 4 8| e4- e7 88 I Primary ExaminerRobert W. Jenkins Att0rneyDiller, Brown, Ramik & Holt [57] ABSTRACT This disclosure relates to a method of simulating the operation of a commercial can shaker by employing a test shaker and evaluating the results in a repetitious manner until a desired product is observed thereby automatically making a selection of the proper commercial shaker to obtain the desired product commercially, continually and repetitiously. The method includes the steps of selecting from known performance characteristics of existing commercial shakers a predetermined shake time and rate for a particular container size, setting the test shaker to'function at the preselected rate, shaking a filled container of the par ticular size in the test shaker for the predetermined time, observing the results of the shaking on the product, and as necessary repeating these steps using different time and shake rates until the desired result or product effect is observed.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEU 4 sum 1' OF 3 S S 5m m w 0 E N TRD. R WEN w VVE T I .Ch

PATENTED HEB 41975 SHEET 2 [IF 3 EU MW R WWW A CF PATENTEDUEC 419m sum 3 or 3 mvamcirzs mm P COVER 5- CLYDE F. KEMPER 4 -11. RTTUQN EY SIMULATION EVALUATION METHOD Can shakers of the type disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 3,427,004 in the name of Ralph Cover et al., issued Feb. 1 l, 1969, were developed originally in the furtherance of cream corn processing where layers of cream and kernels had to be thoroughly mixed in large (No. l) cans after cooking and cooling. Since then, many sectors of the food processing industry have turned to can shakers with new and farreaching benefits. Some of the most difficult and most exacting problems were solved in all types of metal and glass containers, with such products as soups, spaghetti-type products, potted meats and meats-with-gravy, pie fillings, baby foods, aerosol items, pet foods, and viscous materials. It soon became evident that there are many reasons for shaking products in their sealed containers. Such problems as lack of product uniformity, too heavy product consistency, component separating, curdling, localized discoloration, etc., have been solved by commercial can shakers. Moreover, problems not limited to edible food products have also been solved as, for example, the failure of insoluble salts to disperse in aerosol packages.

Though the problems solved by commercial can shakers are noteworthy, it has been heretofore virtually impossible for small manufacturers to purchase such relatively expensive commercial equipment with the expectation of solving a particular problem through shaking when shaking may appear to be but is not the solution. Commercial can shakers of the type described in the latter-noted patent are produced in lengths up to 22 feet weighing as much as 10,700 pounds. Thus, the size and cost of such commercial equipment for experimentation could prove prohibitive to users unless results were guaranteed and in many cases such guarantees are impossible even though can shakers over the years have reduced labor, speeded filling lines, eliminated raw product waste, broadened production tolerances, lowered rejections, protected or advanced the quality level, salvaged unsaleable material by rectifying areas, saved dollars through reformulation, and simplified processing procedures.

In keeping with the present invention, the operation of conventional can shakers is simulated under laboratory or test conditions by first selecting from known performance characteristics of existing commercial shakers a predetermined shake time and rate for a particular container size. A novel test shaker of this invention is then set to function at the preselected rate and a filled container of the particular size is shaken in the test shaker for the predetermined time. The effect of the shaking on the product is thereafter observed and, as necessary, these steps are repeated using different time and shake rates until the desired result is observed thereby automatically making a selection of the proper commercial shaker to obtain the desired result commercially in a continuous and repetitious fashion.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel simulation technique or method of the type heretofore set forth wherein the predetermined shake time is determined by the formula P D/Is where D is the shake length in inches, Is is the inches traveled per second and P is the seconds in the shake area of a commercial shaker with shaking taking place in the range of 200-300 shake cycles per minute on any container ranging in size between No. 200 through No. 603 cans or equivalent containers.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claimed subject matter, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of the test shaker for performing the method of this invention, and illustrates a reciprocal carriage in which is clamped a can or similar container having packaged therein a product intended to be improved by being shaken at' a predetermined rate for a predetermined period of time.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the shaker of FIG. 1 looking from left-to-right, and illustrates means mounting the carriage for reciprocal movement.

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the shaker of FIG. 1, and illustrates the drive mechanism for the carriage and a counterweight likewise mounted for reciprocal motion.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along line 4-4 of FIG. 3, and more clearly illustrates the drive mechanism of the shaker along with means for clamping a can in the carriage.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken generally along line 5-5 of FIG. 4, and more clearly illustrates portions of the drive mechanism including a pair of crank arms connected to the under side of the carriage and the counterweight.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken generally along line 6-6 of FIG. 4, and illustrates the manner in which the volumeof the carriage can be adjusted to accommodate cans of different sizes.

Before describing the novel method of this invention, reference is first made to a test shaker illustrated in the drawings which is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The test shaker 10 includes a base 12 in the form 'of a heavy metallic plate which may be provided with suitable openings (not shown) for anchoring the plate l2 to a support. An alternating current, single phase, sixtycycle motor 13 rotates a shaft 14 thereof at 1725 RPM. The motor 13 includes a base 15 (FIG. 1) which is secured to a plate 16 by bolts 17. The plate 16 in turn includes four elongated slots 18 which permit the plate 16 and thus the motor 13 mounted thereon to be shifted left and right as viewed in FIG. 3 to vary the output of the shaft 14, as will be described more fully hereinafter. A plurality of bolts 20 pass through each slot 18 and are threaded into the plate 12 with springs 21 being positioned between each bolt head (unnumbered) and the upper surface (also unnumbered) of the plate. 16. A pair of lugs 22, 23 are welded to the plate 16 and are connected to an arm 24 by a pivot pin 25. The arm 24 is connected at its opposite end to a handle 26 having its lower end (unnumbered) connected to a vertical plate 27 by a pivot pin 28 with the lower edge of the plate 27 being welded or otherwise secured to the base 12. A threaded stud 30 projecting normally from the handle 26 passes through an arcuate opening 31 of the plate 27 and has secured thereto a wing nut 32. With the wing nut 32 loosened the handle 26 can be pivoted to shift the motor 13 with the motor 13 being locked in any desired position by merely once again retightening the wing nut 32.

Though not illustrated, the plate 27 includes along its upper convex edge (unnumbered) a number of shake cycles per minute between 180 to 325. For the purpose of this description, it will be assumed that only the numbers 220, 225, 250, 275, 280, 285, 290 and 300 are present on the plate 27, each indicating the number of shake cycles per minute when an arrow (not shown) on the handle 26 is in alignment therewith.

The shaft 14 of the motor 13 is keyed to a conventional variable speed pulley 33 havingopposite faces 34, 35 which are normally urged toward each other by a spring (not shown). As the motor 13 is shifted left or right as viewed in FIG. 3 by the movement of the handle 26, the faces 34, 35 move toward or away from each other thereby varying the drive radius of the pulley 33 to vary the speed of a pulley belt 36 entrained thereabout and through mechanism heretofore described selectively obtain any number of shake cycles per minute in the range of 180 through 325.

The pulley belt 36 is entrained about another pulley 37 which is keyed to a shaft 38 suitably joumalled at its opposite ends in upstanding vertical brackets 40, 41 of a plate 42 which is adjustably secured to the base 12 by slots 43 and bolts 44.

Another pulley 45 is keyed to the shaft 38 and has entrained thereabout a pulley belt 46 which is also entrained about a pulley 47 keyed to a shaft 48. The shaft 48 is joumalled for rotation in a pair of vertical upstanding plates 50, 51 whose lower ends (unnumbered) are bolted to the base 12. A pair of circular plates 52, 53 form a crank or eccentric in combination with a pin 54 which carries a bearing 55 between the plates 52, 53, it being noted that the plate 52 is welded to the shaft 48 while the plate 53 is welded to another shaft 56 in alignment with the shaft 48. The shaft 56 is journalled for rotation in the upper end portion of a vertical plate 57 whose lower end (unnumbered) is bolted to the base 12. A crank arm 58 is appropriately joumalled at one end to the bearing 55 and its opposite end is connected by a pivot pin 60 to a pair of lugs 61, 62 connected to a bar 73 which is in turn secured to another bar 74 by a pair of tie bars 63, 69 bolted therebetween. Bolts 64 (FIG. 4) secure the bars 73, 74 to a bottom wall 65 of a carriage 66 which-also includes'two upstanding side walls 67, 68, a rigid end wall 70 and a movable end wall 71 which can be selectively positioned in any one of a pluralityof opposing pairs of ve r tical slots 72 formed in the side walls 67, 68. The adjustable nature of the end wall 71 permits containers or cans C of different sizes to be positioned and clamped in the carriage 66 in a manner which will be more fully described hereinafter.

Guide rollers 75 are joumalled for rotation to the opposite ends (unnumbered) of each of the bars 73. 74. The rollers 75 are received in channel-shaped guides 76, 77 bolted to four vertical plates 78 at upper ends thereof while lower ends of the plates are bolted to the base 12.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the drive for reciprocating the carriage 66 and thus the container C therein includes the motor 13, the shaft 14, the variable speed pulley 33, the pulley belt 36, the pulley 37, the

pulley 45, the pulley belt 46, the pulley 47, the crank 52, 53 and its associated bearing 55, the crank arm 58 and the carriage connected thereto.

In order to counterbalance the machine 10 during the reciprocal motion of the carriage 66, a counterweight 80 is removably secured to a block 81 by a bolt 82 with the block 81 having conventionally joumalled at the sides thereof cam followers or rollers 84. The rollers 84 ride in channel shaped guides or tracks 86, 87 which are bolted to the upper ends of vertical plates 88 with the lower ends of the plates 88 being bolted to the base 12. A pair of lugs 90 connected to the block 81 are pivotally connected to a crank arm 91 by a pivot pin 92. An opposite end of the crank arm 91 is joumalled to a pin 93 of another crank or eccentric 94 in the form of a circular disc having the pin 93 fixed thereto with the crank 94 being keyed or otherwise fixed to the shaft 56 and thus rotated thereby. It is to be noted that the bearing 55 of the crank 52, 53 is 180 degrees out of phase relative to the pin 93 of the crank 94 and thus both the carriage 66 and the counterweight 80 are reciprocated simultaneously but in opposite senses at all times, thereby affecting the counterbalancing of the machine 10. Moreover, since the drive for the counterweight 80 is a take-off of the drive for the carriage 66, any adjustment in speed or the number of shake cycles per minute by varying the position of the arm or handle 26 simultaneously adjusts the speed of movement or the number of shake cycles per minute of the counterweight 80. Also, the bolt 82 permits additional or other counterweight to be secured to the block 81 depending upon the particular weight of the product being tested.

Reference is now made particularly to FIG. 6 which illustrates clamp means generally designated by the reference numeral 95 in the form of a threaded bolt 96 having one end keyed to but freely rotatable in an aperture (unnumbered) of a plate 97 which is secured to a plate or wall 98. The threaded stud 96 is threaded in a threaded bore 100 of an element 101 fixed to the removable wall 71. A lock nut 102 is also threaded upon the threaded stud 96 which at its end remote from the plate 97 includes a knob 103.

The can C of FIG. 6 is removed from its clamped position between the walls 70, 98 by unthreading the lock nut 102 and then unthreading the threaded stud 96 by rotating the knob 103 to move the wall 98 to the right as viewed in FIG. 6. If a larger or smaller can C is to be inserted in the carriage 66, the entire clamping means 95 is removed fromthe carriage by sliding the wall 70 upwardly andoutwardly of the slots 72 and repositioning the wall 71 in another pair of slots which are closer to or more remote from the wall 70, as dicated by the size and/or length of the next container to be clamped into the carriage 66. When thusrepositioned the knob 103 is rotated to relock the mechanism.

In order to perform the novel method of this invention in conjunction with the shaker 10 heretofore described, one must first select from Tables I, II or III a desired shaking speed and time made available by existing commercial shakers which vary in overall size and length of their respective concentrated shake areas. For example, experience might suggest that if the product being tested is canned meats a 17 foot commercial can shaker having a 138 inch length of concentrated shake area might be desired if run between 250-300 shake cycles per minute. Table l discloses performance characteristics of an 11 foot commercial can shaker having a 66 inch length concentrated shake area with appropriate parameters being given for No. 200 and No. 202 cans. Like performance characteristics (not disclosed) are provided for the same machine in can diameters of Nos. 208, 211, 300, 301, 303, 307, etc., up to and including No. 603.

Table II likewise indicates the performance characteristics of existing 14 foot long commercial shaker Table 111 discloses performance characteristics for an having a 102 inch length of concentrated shake area, existing 17 foot long can shaker having a 138 inch long and likewise presents parameters for No. 200 and No. concentrated shake area, and discloses parameters for 202 cans with like performance characteristics (not a No. 307 can. shown) being provided for all cans up to No. 603. 5 Assuming that past experience indicates a 17 foot TABLE I.1l-LONG CAN SHAKER (66" CONCENTRA'IED SHAKE AREA) Flight spacing 2.750" centers Can diameter 200 and 202 Number of shakes each can receives (shake freq.) Flight belt speed Sec. 300 a can in 200 a 225 e 250 l 275 l 280 e 285 I 290 4 Feet/ lnehes/ shake Cans per min. min. sec. area 3 33 b 3.75 b 416 b 4.58 b 4.66 b 4.75 b 4.83 b 5.00 b

I For minute. 11 Per second.

TABLE II.14-LONG CAN SHAKER (102 CONCENTRATED SHAKE AREA) Flight spacing 2.750" centers Can diameter 200 and 202 Number of shakes each can receives (shake freq.) Flight belt speed Sec. can in 200 l 225 l 250 I 275 n 280 l 285 l 290 e 300 Feet/ Inches/ shake min. sec. area 3.33 b 3.75 b 4.16 b 4.58 b 4.66 b 4.75 b 4.83 b 5.00

l Pern' lnute. 9 Per second.

TABLE -III.17LONG CAN SHAKER (138 CONCENTRA'IED SHAKE AREA) Flight s aein 4.125 centers Can diameter 307 p g Number of shakes each can receives (shake freq.) Flight belt speed See can lrl 200 e 225 e 250 e 275 e 280 285 e 290 e 300 e Feet/ Inches] shake Guns per min. min. sec. area 3.33 b 3.75 h 4.16 h 4.58 b 4.66 h 4.75 h 4.83 h 5.00 b

4 Per minute. 11 Persecqnd.

commercial can shaker operating at a speed of from 250 to 300 shake cycles per minute might be desirable for, for example a No. 307 can, reference will be made to Table III from which would be selected a desired production speed of, for example, 160 cans per minute. A shake frequency of, for example, 280 cycles is then selected and from column four it is determined that No. 307 cans moving through the l7 foot commercial can shaker at a speed of I60 cans per minute would pass through the 138 inch concentrated shake area. in 12.5 seconds. With this time in mind the handle 26 of the test shaker 10 is moved to set the speed of the machine at 280 cycles per minute, a No. 307 can is clamped in the carriage 66 and the machine 10 is run for 12.5 seconds with the accuracy of the running time being solved by the simple expedient of a stop watch. The can is then removed, opened, and the product observed and/or tested. If the results achieved are those desired, the tester can conclude that like results can be obtained commercially in a continuous and repetitive fashion on the 17 foot, 138 inch concentrated shake area commercial can shaker, and no further testing is necessary. However, if the product result is not that expected further tests may be performed by selecting different shake frequencies (of the same or different commercial can shakers) of any of Tables I through III and repeating the test heretofore described until the desired result is observed.

In the foregoing manner, the relatively low cost machine 10 can be sold, leased or loaned to a person desiring to obtain a particular product characteristic as a result of a shaking operation but who is disinterested in expending a great deal of capital to purchase a particular commercial can shaker which in the final analysis may prove to be the wrong commercial shaker for a particular end product shake characteristic. Thus, irrespective of a particular problem which may be solved by shaking packaged contents a person at little or no investment can determine whether or not the particular problem can be solved continuously on a commercial basis by the novel method of this invention.

Though only three exemplary tables (Tables I through Ill) have been set forth heretofore to present known performance characteristics of existing commercial shakers, it isto beunderstood that any number of such tables can be formulated, as was heretofore noted, and the following formulas are applicable thereto:

FORMULA I To Find Linear Feet Per Minute Flight Belt Travel for Any Can Size and Number of Cans Per Minute.

m las. A 61 .2? Lrtwhsre..- A Flight Spacing In Inches C Cans Per Minute L,= Linear Feet Per Minute Flight Belt Travel Example: 3.l25 inches Flight Spacing X 96 cans per nu 2 25 Linea F e Per Minute FORMULA II To Find Linear Inches Per Second Flight Belt Travels.

Formula: L/S l,,, where L,= Linear Feet Per Minute I, Inches Per Second Example: 25 Feet Per Min./5 5 Inches Per Second FORMULA III To Find Seconds Can Is In Shake Area At X Cans Per Minute.

FORMULA IV To Find Shakes Each Can Receives During Length of Time in Concentrated Shake Area.

Formula: P X S, R, where P Seconds Can Is In Concentrated Shake Area S, Shake Cycles Per Second R Shakes Can Receives Example: 38 Seconds In Shake Area X 5 Shakes Per Second 190 Shakes Per Can.

While preferred forms and arrangements of parts have been shown in illustrating the invention, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in details and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

We claim:

1. A shaker comprising carriage means for holding an article to be shaken, means mounting said carriage for reciprocal motion along a linear path, a counterweight, means mounting said counterweight for reciprocal motion along another linear path parallel to that of said carriage, and means for simultaneously reciprocating said carriage and counterweight along their respective paths and at all times in opposite directions.

2. The shaker as defined in claim 1 including means for simultaneously identically adjusting the speed of movement of said carriage and counterweight.

3. The shaker as defined in claim 2 wherein said carriage includes a body having a pair of opposite sides in part defining an article-receiving chamber, and means for selectively adjusting the distance between said walls for accommodating articles of different sizes in said chamber.

4. The shaker as defined in claim 2 wherein said carriage includes a body having a pair of opposite sides in part defining an article-receiving chamber, means for selectively adjusting the distance between said walls for accommodating articles of different sizes in said chamber, clamping means between said walls, and means for adjustably moving said clamping means in a direction normal to said walls to clamp an article in said chamber between one of said walls and said clamping means.

5. The shaker as defined in claim 1 including means for clamping an article in said carriage.

6. The shaker as defined in claim 1 wherein said car riage includes a body having a pair of opposite sides in part defining an article-receiving chamber, and means for selectively adjusting the distance between said walls for accommodating articles of different sizes in said chamber.

7. The shaker as defined in claim 1 wherein said carriage includes a body having a pair of opposite sides in part defining an article-receiving chamber, means for selectively adjusting the distance between said walls for 

1. A shaker comprising carriage means for holding an article to be shaken, means mounting said carriage for reciprocal motion along a linear path, a counterweight, means mounting said counterweight for reciprocal motion along another linear path parallel to that of said carriage, and means for simultaneously reciprocating said carriage and counterweight along their respective paths and at all times in opposite directions.
 2. The shaker as defined in claim 1 including means for simultaneously identically adjusting the speed of movement of said carriage and counterweight.
 3. The shaker as defined in claim 2 wherein said carriage includes a body having a pair of opposite sides in part defining an article-receiving chamber, and means for selectively adjusting the distance between said walls for accommodating articles of different sizes in said chamber.
 4. The shaker as defined in claim 2 wherein said carriage includes a body having a pair of opposite sides in part defining an article-receiving chamber, means for selectively adjusting the distance between said walls for accommodating articles of different sizes in said chamber, clamping means between said walls, and means for adjustably moving said clamping means in a direction normal to said walls to clamp an article in said chamber between one of said walls and said clamping means.
 5. The shaker as defined in claim 1 including means for clamping an article in said carriage.
 6. The shaker as defined in claim 1 wherein said carriage includes a body having a pair of opposite sides in part defining an article-receiving chamber, and means for selectively adjusting the distance between said walls for accommodating articles of different sizes in said chamber.
 7. The shaker as defined in claim 1 wherein said carriage includes a body having a pair of opposite sides in part defining an article-receiving chamber, means for selectively adjusting the distance between said walls for accommodating articles of different sizes in said chamber, clamping means between said walls, and means for adjustably moving said walls to clamp an article in said chamber between one of said walls and said clamping means. 